8 Merrion Square, Dublin 2
tel. +353-1-6627409
www.irishlandscapeinstitute.com
General Election Campaign 2007
A MANIFESTO FOR IRISH LANDSCAPES
Because of the outstanding quality of our landscapes and their immense cultural and economic significance to the nation, Ireland must take determined
action to reverse the ravages of recent decades and set a course for the long-term management of change. The landscape must be given prominence
in any future policies formulated for our national heritage and for rural development generally. There is real urgency here: serious damage to our
landscape and the environment must be anticipated when dynamic economic growth occurs." (After F.H Aalen.1999)
February 2007
Prepared by:
Aidan J. ffrench MILI
ILI President 2005-07
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
The ILI represents a fast-growing and vibrant profession that is beginning to make a significant
contribution to Irish society. The profession’s varied work in landscape planning, landscape
design and landscape management, involves a commitment to the establishment of sustainable
communities in beautiful, living, working and recreational places. There is now an experienced
body of Landscape Architects and Landscape Managers who are ready to tackle the challenges in
the recently published NDP 2007-2013.
The NDP presents an ambitious programme for the socio-economic development of Ireland.
However, the NDP’s fails to provide the policy, legislative framework and resources that are
necessary to protect and conserve Ireland’s urban and rural landscapes. These failures are
critical because they undermine the NDP stated aim of achieving a sustainable economy,
environment and society.
Conscious of the European context of its work, through its membership of EFLA, the ILI sees the
European Landscape Convention as the launch pad for all national policies on Irish landscapes,
both rural and urban. Ireland has ratified the convention, but has so far failed to honour its
obligations. To rectify the aforementioned NDP failures, the ILI is calling on the next government
to include the following in its programme for action:1. A National Landscape Policy on and a Landscape Ireland Act as recommended by the
Heritage Council since 1997; implement the ELC
2. A National Policy and Act on Urban Parks and Greenspaces, placing an obligation on
local government to provide and manage greenspace; this is currently a discretionary
service
3. Appoint a State Landscape Architect to lead a dedicated landscape unit in the
Department of Environment
4. Employ landscape architects and landscape managers in central and local government
5. Create parks and landscape services in all local authorities
6. Integrate landscape management into the NDP 2007-2013 and a revised Spatial
Strategy
These five actions, if implemented, would bring the Republic of Ireland up to the standards of its
most environmentally advanced European neighbours. Moreover, these actions would enhance
the country’s international reputation, thereby attracting inwards investment and highly-skilled
immigrants, as well as increasing tourism revenues.1
1
Ireland.Feb.2007. Tourism Product Development Strategy 2007-2013
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1. PURPOSE
This document represents the considered views of the Irish Landscape Institute on how the
next programme for government should address issues effecting Irish landscapes. It
compliments ‘A Better Quality of Life for All’, the recently published manifesto of the Urban
Forum, of which the ILI is an active member.
This manifesto is the result of widespread consultation by the ILI Council with the Institute’s
members. It represents the concerns of members which are reflected among large
sections of the electorate, regarding the protection and provision of parks and
greenspaces in urban areas and poor management of change in our natural
landscapes. Increasingly, these concerns revolve around the need for a higher quality
of life in the landscapes where people live, move and recreate.
The manifesto is a call for action from all candidates in the forthcoming General Election,
and is especially directed at party political spokespersons on the environment.
2. THE LANDSCAPE PROFESSION IN IRELAND
Landscape Architecture is an established profession in Ireland. April 2007 marked the inaugural
International Landscape Architecture Month, designated by IFLA (International Federation of
Landscape Architects) and supported by the ILI (Irish Landscape Institute). The ILI established in
1992, is full member of EFLA, the European Foundation for Landscape Architecture.
Working in close collaboration with professionals such as architects, planners and civil engineers,
landscape architects have emerged from relative obscurity to play a significant role in Irish society.
There’s a new confidence in the profession, bolstered by an increasing workload brought
about by the boom and by growing concerns for the environment. While this new-found
confidence goes some way to removing a superficial understanding of the profession,
there’s much to be done in educating the public and politicians about its work.
In Ireland, most landscape architectural work is related to the design, construction and
management of public and private external space. Many landscape architects also carry out largescale landscape planning, including landscape character assessment, visual assessment for
Environmental Impact Statements. The profession manages construction contracts, often acting
as project supervisor, as defined under Health and Safety legislation. Projects undertaken in the
last ten years include Ardgillan Regional Park (Co.Dublin), Cliffs of Moher Interpretative Centre,
Dún Laoghaire Ferry Terminal, Dundrum Town Centre, Marlay Park Walled Garden (Dublin 16)
Skerries Windmill (Co.Dublin), O’Connell Street Renewal, Eyre Square and Iveagh Gardens
Restoration, Dublin.
In the public sector, landscape professionals - mainly in local government and the OPW - working
under the anachronistic job title, ‘Parks Superintendent’, engage in an ever-widening range of
functions. These include landscape design, spatial planning, local area plans, nature
conservation, parks strategies, amenity horticulture, play and sports facilities, project management
and public consultation. Much of this work is strongly related to serving community needs. Sadly,
given this unique role in providing essential public services, there is a dearth of landscape
architects in the sector. Of the 34 local authorities in the State, only the four Dublin
councils have fully developed parks and landscape services. In Wicklow - the Garden
County of Ireland – there is not one single landscape professional employed. Clearly, there
is a need for change.
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3. THE ISSUES
3.1 Policy and Strategy
There is a clear lack of national policy and strategy for the protection, provision and management
of landscapes, parks and greenspaces. The Heritage Council has been calling for a National
Landscape Policy since it published its ‘Policy Paper on Landscape and the National Heritage’
in 2002. That same year, the government ratified the European Landscape Convention, but
has yet to implement its provisions. Because of continuing and predicted increases in
urbanisation and population, the implementation of the Convention is vital to the protection of Irish
landscapes. The Convention acknowledges that the landscape is an important part of the quality
of life for people everywhere: in urban areas and in the countryside, in degraded areas as well as
in areas of high quality, in areas recognised as being of outstanding beauty as well as everyday
areas. The Convention notes that developments in agriculture, forestry, industry, transport,
infrastructure, tourism and recreation and in spatial planning are in many cases accelerating the
transformation of landscapes. The anticipation of this transformation can only be achieved through
a policy led approach.
A policy will require a strategy for implementation and central to this must be the provision of
sufficient human and other resources.
Parks and green spaces are increasingly recognised by sociologists, economists, planners
and policy makers as one of the most socially significant urban landscapes2. They offer
proved health, leisure, social, ecological and environmental benefits in an increasing
urbanised society. The latter half of 2006 was marked by several controversies which
highlighted serious deficiencies in the protection of urban parks and greenspaces 3. These
deficiencies are the lack of legislative basis to parks provision and the chronic lack of
professional expertise at local government level.
Funding for play provision needs to be substantially increased. The Department of
Environment’s 2006 allocation of €120K per county is insufficient, as it this figure only is
typically equal to the budget for a single playground.
3.2 Legislation
Apart from the planning code there is no specific legislation for the planning, protection,
design and management of landscapes, parks and greenspaces. Despite some useful tools
within the planning code, these are either poorly implemented or note used at all. This is
due to lack of resources and training for both planners and landscape professionals, where
they exist in the system.
Legislation is urgently required to implement the provisions of the European Landscape
Convention and to consolidate existing legislative measures in a single, co-ordinated law.
Such legislation would provide statutory basis for our National Parks, protected landscapes,
urban parks and greenspaces. It would provide for financial and human resources at national
and local levels.
2
3
Research refs.: CABE, PPS, ESRI, LI, UK Commons Committee. report
Examples: Dartmouth Square, Ranelagh and St.Raphaela’s, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
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3.3 Resources
There is a clear need for capacity building in human resources to plan and manage Irish
landscapes. The most urgent need is in the public sector, at both central government and
local government. Many local authorities have no staff in place to undertake landscape
design, landscape management, landscape planning. Even in the better resourced
authorities, there a gaps for example in the management of urban trees and woodlands.
There is a need to appoint specialists in arboriculture to manage these resources.
Change and improvement in landscape management and landscape planning could also be
achieved through representation in Government bodies and agencies. Landscape specialists
should be employed and / or represented ,on such bodies An Bord Pleanála, COMHAR,
Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government and the National Roads Authority
(NRA). An Bord Pleanála and NRA, in particular would benefit from in-house expertise, as
their work has important and significant implications for landscape change.
3.4 Research
As population continues to expand, urbanisation increases with consequence changes in
rural landscapes, there is a need to support the research efforts at third level and in
Government agencies. The mounting energy crisis, global warming and need to sustainable
solutions to development of residential communities, transport, recreation demands present
challenges for landscape architects.
4.
POLICIES AND STRATEGIES
Government should prepare the following policy documents in consultation with key
stakeholders including the ILI, The Heritage Council, Landscape Alliance Ireland, The Urban
Forum State bodies, geographers, agricultural representatives and the public.
4.1
National Landscape Policy
This policy should express a holistic approach to landscape protection, landscape planning
and landscape management. The State should make a whole-hearted commitment to a
systematic strategy of implementing a national policy that is clearly related to a revised
National Spatial Strategy, as recommended by the Urban Forum. The European Landscape
Convention provides the basis for such a strategy. The ILI calls on the incoming
government to implement the Convention’s provisions. The Irish Landscape Institute
endorses the long-standing recommendations of the Heritage Council to government for a
Landscape Ireland Act.4 The policy should build on the work done to date on Landscape
Character Assessment by linking landscape policy to urban and regional planning.
4.2
A National Policy on Urban Parks and Greenspaces
The Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government should update and expand
it’s document ‘A Parks Policy for Local Authorities’ (1987) to take account of the latest
census information, spatial planning guidelines and research findings. The policy should
develop a systematic approach to the development of parks and landscape services in local
4
See Oireachtas Joint C’ttee. on Environment & Local Government.13 Sept.’06. Presentation by Mr. Michael Starret, CEO, The Heritage Council.
Also: Heritage Council’s policy document, ‘Policy on the Irish Landscape’.
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government throughout the State. The implementation of such a policy should include a
Ministerial Directive, directing County Managers to establish parks and landscape services
in their respective local authorities. County Managers should be informed of the benefits of
employing landscape architects and landscape managers 5, in particular the added values
they bring to the delivery of a wide range of internal (in-house consultancy to planning,
roads, housing depts.) and external services (e.g community projects, partnerships with
n.g.o’s). The recruitment of these professionals might best be based on a formula, based on
the ratio of professionals to population, similar to the per capita system used for teachers.
4.3
A National Policy on Urban Trees
The State has no explicit, co-ordinated policy on urban trees, despite their significant
contributions to carbon sequestration, climate moderation, bio-diversity, aesthetics and
amenity. Government should establish a comprehensive policy on the urban forest,
addressing the planning, design and management of each of its component parts – street
trees, woodlands, parkland trees – including the respective rights and responsibilities of
private and public owners.
The policy should clearly state how and who is to manage this important natural resource. It
should identify and provide for whatever resources are necessary to give effect to policy
objectives. Policy objectives should include:ƒ GIS systems in the larger urban centres (Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick) to act as
management tools
ƒ Preparation of urban forestry plans, co-ordinated with Urban Greenspace Plans
4. LEGISLATION
The ILI believes the following legislation should be formulated to address the
aforementioned legislative deficiencies. Such legislation should be prioritised under the next
programme government. The suggested legislation will require further research on similar
legislation in other jurisdiction. The ILI, in collaboration with like-minded organisations,
would be pleased to advise government on how such legislation might be framed.
4.1
Landscape Ireland Act
ƒ Give effect to the objectives contained in a National Landscape Policy (4.1 above)
and the European Landscape Convention
ƒ Define and provide statutory protection to the National Parks and establish new
national parks
ƒ Prescribe a national system of landscape character assessment as basis for
landscape planning at local, regional and national levels
ƒ Amend the 2000 Planning & Development Act and 2001 Regulations as necessary
4.2 Urban Parks and Greenspaces Act
ƒ Define and place a duty on local government to provide, plan, design and manage
existing and new parks and greenspaces in urban areas
ƒ Require all local authorities to prepare Urban Greenspace Strategies and an 5-year
Greenspace Plan, in tandem with the Development Plan strategy
The current job title is Parks Superintendent, a cognate grade: subject to current debate within the PPN (Parks Professional Network) as there’s
an agreed need to change and modernise the title.
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ƒ Define and provide for necessary minimum levels of professional and other staff on a
per capita basis, relative to local population census
ƒ Define and provide local government with powers to acquire land for parks and green
spaces – by compulsion and agreement
ƒ Provide tax breaks for individuals and organisations who may contribute funds and
other resources to local authorities to assist them in fulfilling duties and exercising
powers under this Act
ƒ Define and provide for other funding mechanisms
ƒ Define Ministerial powers to regulate, publish directives, policies, strategies,
guidelines and such other means as may be considered appropriate
4.3 Registration of Landscape Architects Act
ƒ Provide for an registration system, independent of the ILI, that would certify qualified
landscape architects to practice in the State
ƒ ILI would be represented, but not the actual regulatory body, in the a State –run
registration system; except insofar at the ILI would discipline its members for noncompliance with its Code of Professional Conduct
ƒ The Act should deal with educational requirements, disciplinary matters, appeals and
registration board
5. RESOURCES
The main aim here is to adopt a systematic approach to a substantial expansion of the
professional presence in the public sector. In tandem with such an expansion, the
Government should assist the profession in the development of skills and expertise at
professional practice level. Such skills development will ensure that landscape architects
become more central to spatial planning, urban design and landscape planning (e.g
landscape character analysis), especially within the public realm. The following actions are
critical to achieving a systematic approach:4.1 Develop a strategic plan for the expansion of park services & landscape services
departments beyond Dublin city and county, targeting those local authorities that are
most in need of such services, especially those serving urban areas; the minimum grade of
such posts should be Executive Landscape Architect
4.2 Ministerial approval and directive to change the existing job title, ‘parks
superintendent’ to suitable alternative to be agreed with the ILI and PPN.
4.3 Lift the embargo on public sector recruitment in a targeted manner
4.4 Create senior posts for landscape architects in City and County council Planning
departments, prioritising those planning authorities most under pressure for urban
development; the minimum grade of such posts should be Senior Executive Landscape
Architect.
4.5 Direct the Local Government Services Board (LGMSB) to recognise the Parks
Professionals Network (PPN) as a vocational group within the local government service
4.6 Develop existing and provide new funding mechanisms and supports to local
authorities that are engaged in the provision of parks & landscape services
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4.7 Appoint a full-time, senior State Landscape Architect to lead a small, dedicated,
multi-disciplinary team in the Minster for Environment, Heritage & Local Government.6 The
unit would make recommendations to the Minister for the implementation of the European
Landscape Convention. It would prepare a National Landscape Policy and a National Urban
Parks Policy and would lead the development of parks and landscape services throughout
the State.
4.8 Appoint landscape architects at senior level to the National Roads Authority, The
National Housing Agency, OPW, COILLTE and the Department of Agriculture & Food.
4.9 Appoint nominees of the ILI to state bodies, including An Bord Pleanála, COMHAR,
Dublin Docklands Authority, The Heritage Council and the NRA.
5. RESEARCH
Establish an independent, national environmental research body whose remit would include
landscape architecture, urban design, architecture, engineering and sustainable planning.
Such a research body would perform the duties of the former An Foras Forbartha, though in
an update format, perhaps modelled on the UK Government’s CABE and CABE Space.
Specific areas for research relevant and beneficial to the landscape architects would
include:5.1 Parks and greenspace – much work has been done in the U.K, U.S.A and continental
Europe; however very little in Ireland on the Irish situation; studies should include topics
such as:
ƒ pubic participation in greenspace design
ƒ methodologies for ‘place-making’ in urban design
ƒ river conservation in urban landscapes
ƒ leisure and recreational needs of specific population groups (e.g elderly, teenagers,
immigrant groups)
ƒ development of national databases of amenities, parks and greenspaces and sports
facilities
5.2
The Irish landscape industry – very little work done, apart from the ESRI’s work on
the Urban Renewal Grants Scheme and Bord Bia's published statistics on commercial
horticulture sector. Studies should include topics such as:ƒ Annual statistics on each sector of the industry – landscape architects as
consultants, specifiers (projects stats.); landscape contractors’ activity (contract stats.)
and suppliers production and trading activities
The ILI would be pleased to advise government on the most appropriate research projects
that would benefit the landscape profession.
6
Modelled on the state landscape architect’s role in The Netherlands
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VALUES
Building cities around quality, people-centred places: the quality of urban life is
the quality and strength of its public realm. Elements of the public realm relevant
to landscape architecture include environment, natural resources and heritage;
rights to the city; community assets and public places 7
Community participation: the role of civil society is an intrinsic part of successful
place-making
Investment and management of the Public Realm is essential to a healthy, virile
democracy (parks, public spaces, libraries, gardens, community centres, play
areas, water and sewerage infrastructure, streets, arts & culture and public transit
Equity of access to environmental information
Leadership and partnership between communities and professionals is a important
element
Energy conservation, reuse, recycling and renewable energies
Preventative health especially in combating chronic asthma, diabetes and obesity
among younger people and the older generation
Environmental and professional ethics
Multi-cultural and diversity in Irish society
REFERENCES and RESOURCES
Commission for Architecture and Built Environment (CABE-Space)
Project for Public Spaces (PPS) www.pps.org
Trust for Public Land (TPL) www.tpl.org
Parks for People
International Federation of Parks & Recreation Administration (IFPRA)
www.ifpra.org.; also Dublin IFPRA Congress www.ifpradublin.com
Open Spaces Act 1906
Healthy Parks Healthy People, Australia
The Role of Landscapes in Crime Prevention
www1.brcc.edu/murray/research/cpted
The Urban Land Unit (ULI)
The Aarhus Convention, Denmark
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 8 9 10 11
EPA Feb.2007. 2020 Vision – Protecting and Improving Ireland’s Environment
COMHAR. October ’06. National Conference: ‘Towards Sustainability in the
National Development Plan 2007-2013’ and Budget 2007 – ‘Towards
Sustainability’. www.comhar-nsdp.ie
Fáilte Ireland. February 2007. Tourism Product Development Strategy.
The Heritage Council. ‘Policies and Priorities for Ireland’s Landscape. Conference Papers Tullamore, April1999
from Jeff Evenson, Andrew Farncombe: ‘A Conversation on Cities and the Public Realm’, The Candaidan Urban Institute’s ‘The Urban Century’,
Spring 2006
8 Richard D. Rush. June ’06. Coevolution in ‘Urban Land: Special Report – Sustainability’
9 John Fitzgerald. May ’06. ‘A dangerous deception. The myth of sustainable development has to be challenged.’
10
The Guardian. 26.1.07. David Ward. Village on the road to a carbon-neutral future
11 www.worldchanging.31.1.07.Sarah Rich.Tales of the Self-Sufficient City
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